Mooring-winch.



A. T. VPRISCOTT. MOORING WINCH.

APPLlcmon FILED MAR. 24. 1913.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

l MII,Il

f ,1km/M mon/4er y A. T. PRESCOTT.

MOORING WINCH.

APPLICATION FILED IIAII. 24, 1913.

Patented Feb. 15,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wf/won MW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR T. PBESCOTT, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 GEORGE H.

FROTHINGHAM C0., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

MOORING-WINCH.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR T. PREsCo'rr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mooring- VVinches, of which the following is a specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to electric motor driven Winches and hasspecial reference to such as are adapted for use in mooring ferry boats to bridges and like purposes.

In my co-pending application Serial Number 636,657 filed July 3, 1911, I have set forth and described a device of the aforesaid character in which an overload safety release mechanism is employed for permitting the parts to slip and the motor to continue to operate when the pulling in load becomes excessive as for example when the boat strikes the end of the bridge. A lost motionconnection is also set forth in the aforesaid application for starting the unwinding motion of the winch in order to insure the release of the jammed gears of the mechanism. n v

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple and improved device of the same character in which the safety release mechanism and the lost motion connection are both unnecessary.

Other objects will be set forth hereinafter.

I will describe my invention in the following specification and point out the novel features thereof in appended'claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional elevationof a motor driven winch constructed in accordance with my invention. A diagrammatic view Vof a system of control adapted for governing the winch motor and arranged in accordance with my invention is shown in Fig. 2. Y Fig. 3 isa partially sectional plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 1 with the clutch lever and its guide omitted and parts of the casing broken away to disclose the gearing. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the limit switch actuating mechanism shown in plan in Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, a machine is shown mounted on a base 10 on which is also mounted an electric motor 11 having a shaft 12 which extends into a casing 13 inclosing other parts of the mechanism.

A winding drum l5 is rotatively supported in bearings 16, 16 with its axls of rota tion transverse to that of the motor shaft. A worm wheel 18 affixed to the drum 15 at one end meshes with' a. worm 19`which is mounted on a shaft 20. This shaft is coaxial with the motor shaft 12 and extends longitudinally of the mechanism. It is rotatably mounted in bearings 21 and 22.

A sleeve 23 to which is secured a member 24 of a jaw clutch and a bevel gear 25 is arranged to slide on shaft 20 near one of its ends, but is splined to it or otherwise prevented from rotating on the shaft. A cooperating member 26 of the jaw clutch is secured to the adjacent end of the motor shaft 12 within the casing 13.

The gear case 30 protects the worm wheel 18 and a bracket 31 which is secured to or may be integral with the base 10, is arranged to guide a flexible rope or cable onto. and ofl' of the winch drum 15. A substantially vertical shaft 35 is mounted in suitable bearings 36 in a vertical standard 37. A bevel gear 38 is secured to the upper end of the shaft 35 and a bevel gear 39 is secured to-its lower end in position to mesh with the bevel gear 25 when the sleeve 23 is adjusted to its right hand position by means of a. lever 40. When the sleeve is adjusted in the opposite direction the clutch members 24 and 26 are thrown into engagement, the arrangement of parts being such that either the motor 11 or the shaft 35 is operatively connected to the slm fr 2U on which the worm 19 is mounted. ear the wp of the standard 37 is a horizontal shaft 44 to which is secured a` hand wheel 45 and a bevel gear 46 which meshes with the bevel gear 38;

The lever 40 is pivotally supported at 48 and is provided with a grip 49 which is connected to a pawl or pin 50 and is arranged to release the paWl in a well known manner, when the end of the lever and the grip are grasped by the hand of the operator. The pawlO is arranged to engage a notch 51, provided in a stationary sector 53, when the clutch members 24 and 26 are in engagement and a notch 52 when the bevel gears 25 and 39 are in mesh. The pitch of the Worm 19 and the worm Wheel 18 is low so that the drum cannot overhaul the shaft 20.

As shown in Fig. 3, the shaft of the windl ing drum 15 is provided with an extension l 55 on which is rotatably mounted a sheave 56 and a substantially rectangular frame 57 which is integral therewith. A section of the shaft extension is screw-threaded and is provided-with a trave nut 58 and a rela-v tively stationary adjusta le nut 59, -the position of which'on the shaft extension may be maintained by a set screw 60.

As shown in Fig. 4, the sheave 56 is provided with a cam 62 which projects from its inner surface and i-s 'arranged to actuate the arm 63 of a switch member 64.v The switch member is pivotally mounted at 65 on the adjacent surface of the casing 13 and is held in engagement with a pair of stationary contact members 66 and 67 by reason of the action of a spring 68, except when the switch is opened by the `action of the cam 62. A Weight 69 suspended from a point 70 of the sheave tends to prevent the rotation of the sheave and of the frame 57 and causes it to return to its initial position upon reversal of the shaft after actuation of the limit stop.

My present invention is particularly con'- cerned with the control of the motor but before describing the control system -which embodies the motor and is illustrated in Fig. 2,

. I will describe the operation of the mecha- The base 10 is provided with a pair of lugs 72 which extend in oppositedirections from its ends through which foundation bolts-or screws may pass in to the bri e, with which the mechanism is specially esigned "to be used. The fact thatY but two .foundation bolts are used is important for the reason that bridges of this character areoften more or less distorted by' the impact of the ferry whiclritis boats striking on one'side harderi'than 'on the other. The'base will not be strained by Y such distortion as it would beV if. more than two holding boltsor screws were used. A

flexible rope or cable (not shown) is'fpar` tially wound on the drum 15 and hasV a hook or other suitable fastener byhwhich it secured to an approaching boat.. Assuming that the motor is coupled tothe shaft 20, and that Ythe lever 40V occupiesthe position shown in Fig. 1,. the motor maybeo to haul in onthe-.cable and bring e'boat into contact with the bridgel .As hereinafter pointed out, in connection with a description of the controller, the motor is arranged sothat. it can be without in'uryjmd it continues to exert a oldmg force upon the it isfast.' The fact that the gear cannot overhaul theworm shaftefectivel prevents any reverse movement'of the cab e so that the boatwill be held inthe position mto The opposing force exerted theV reac# tion-of the boat and cablefonthe one hand and the pull of the motor on the other hand causes the worm and worm wheelA to be locked -so that a considerably increased torquels required when the' motor is first operated in the reverse direction to release the gears and pay out the cable.

If the motor is out of commission or it is desirable for any reason to operate the mechanism by hand, the lever 40 is shifted from the position shownto its opposite extreme position therebyl separating the clutch members 24 and 26 and throwing the bevel gear 25 into mesh with the gear 39.v The hand wheel 45 is then'operatively connected to the drum and may be utilized for hauling in or paying out the cable.

Referring to Eig. 2 of the drawings, the

motor 11 as here shown diagrammatically,

It is supplied with low resistance while in thew other direction' of motor rotation the motor circuit includes a motor starting and regulating resistor 89 of relatively high 'resistance a portion of which may beadjusted by hand'. The limit switch arranged to interrupt the control circuit in one direction of dperation, Ithe rellating section of the resistor 89 having su cient.` resistancefto hold the motor current at a safevalue even when the motor is stalled in the reverse direction.

The circuit connections for thesystem are as follows: .that the line switch '84' is closed as shown,- and that the master 87 is thrown vinto position e, a control circuit is completed from conductor 90 through a movable contact arm A91, and a stationary contactmember 92 of the master switch, a conductor 93, contactsf66- and 67 Aof theplimit which are bridged by-its ar'm 64, magnet 'coil 94 of the reversing switch f 86 and a conductor 195 'to the supply circuit conductor Vof opposite polarity. The magnet coil 94 when en :causes contacts 96 and 97 to be bridged thereby completing the motor circuit from the conductor 90. through contacts 96, conductor98, through the armature 80. in the of arrow a, a conductor.99, the resistor 88, a conductor 100,

contacts 97 which are now bridged, a conductor 102, and the field winding 81, to the conductor 95.- The rotation imparted to the motor under these conditions will be transto the drum in its unwinding direccontact arm 117 in engagement with one of the stationary contacts 118. After a desired amount of the rope or cable has been paid out, the limit switch G4 will be opened and the moto-r and its co-nnected drum will stop. Obviously the point at which the automatic limit switch will act may be varied at will by simply changing the position of the nut 59.

If the master controller is moved to its position y, a control circuit is first established from the conductor 90, through contacts 91 and 103, conductor 104, and a coil 105 of reversing switch 85, to the conductor 95. The reversing switch 85 when closed, completes a circuit from the conductor 90 through contacts 100 of the reversing switch, the resistor 89, conductor 99, through the armature 80 in the direction of the arrow Z1, circuit a high torque will be developed which conductor 98, contacts 107, conductor 102, and field magnet winding 81 to the conductor 05. Immediately following the completion of the control circuits and motor circuits above traced, a control circuit is completed from conductor 90 through contacts 91 and 110 of the master switch, conductor 111 and a coil 112 to conductor 95. The coil 112 when energized moves a contact arm 113, over stationary contacts 114 and short circuits the starting section of the resistor 89 step by step. The remainder of the resistor 89 which deter- .mines the torque of the motor may be adjusted by setting a contact member 115 in engagement with one of the stationary contact members 116, thereby short circuiting a greater or less proportion of the adjustable section of the resistor 89. Under these conditions the motor will rotate the drum in its winding direction to haul in the boat. When the boat reaches the landing the motor will be stalled but the resistance in circuit with it is high enough to prevent injurious effect.

It is thus apparent that with the controller above described, the mechanism is capable of operating for the purpose specified, without injury to the motor and having once set the adjustable contact arms 115 and 117, the operator has only to throw the master switch into its proper position or from one position to the other, depending upon the operation desired.

The form of specific circuit connections of the control system is not essential to my invention and another controller or other controllers as for example those of' the drum type may be utilized in lieu of the reversing switches at the master switch.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a reversible electric motor adapted to be operatively connected to a winch drum, non-overhauling gears between the motor and the winch drum a controller having a non-circuit closing position and comprising a reverser, and

means for limiting the motor torque in one direction of motor rotation, to a relatively low value, such that the motor may be stalled without injury when operating in said direction, said motor being adapted to exert a relatively high torque in the opposite direction to free the gears of the winch drum.

2. In combination with a reversible electric motor adapted to be operatively connected to a winch drum, non-overhauling gears between the motor and the winch drum a controller having a non-circuit closing position and comprising a reverser, a resistor in one direction of motor rotation for limiting the motor torque to a relatively low value to permit the motor to be stalled without injury when operating in said direction, said motor being adapted to exert a relatively large torque in the opposite direction to free the gears of the winch drum.

3. In combination with a reversible electric motor adapted to be operatively connected to a winch drum, non-overhauling gears between the motor and the winch, drum a controller having a non-circuit closing position and comprising a reverser, means for limiting the motor torque in one direction of motor rotation to a relatively low value, such that the motor may be stalled without injury when operating in said direction, said motor being adapted to exert a relatively high torque in the opposite direction to free the gears of the winch drum, and means for automatically stopping the motor at a predetermined limit only when rotating in the direction in which it has the relatively large torque. Y

4. In combination with a reversible electric motor adapted to be operatively connected to a winch drum, non-overhauling gears between the motor and the winch drum a controller having a non-circuit closing position and comprising a reverser, a pair of motor circuits established by the reverser, an adjustable resistor of relatively high resistance in one of said circuits to limit the motor torque to a relatively low value in one direction of motor rotation, an adjustable resistor of relatively low resistance in the other motor circuit, and means for automatically stopping the motor at a predetermined limit when rotating in the direction in which it has the relatively large torque.

In combination with a reversible electric motor adapted to be operatively connected to a winch drum, non-overhauling gears between the motor and the winch drum a controller having a non-circuit closing position and comprising a reverser, a pair of motor circuits established by the reverser, a resistor for limiting the motor current and torque for driving the winch in a hauling-in direction, to a relatively low value, to permit the motor to be stalled Without'l injury when the winch is hauling-in, and a, resistor of relatively low resistance for drivin the winch in an unwinding direction w ereby the motor is adapted to exert a relatively large torque for freeing the gears when the winch is operated in a paying-out direction. Y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of March in the year 1913. ARTHUR T. PRESCOTI.

Witnesses:

D. ENID DEUTSCH, C. V. Hummm. 

